Dental-Facial Midline: An Esthetic Based Classification

Background: The facial midline and dental midline play an important role in facial esthetics, cosmetic dentistry, facial plastic surgery, and anthropologic studies. Objectives: This study studied the dento-facial midline in Nepalese subjects and to classify the midline. Methods: The study was done in 150 Nepalese subjects, mostly consisting of University students (70 males and 80 females). After obtaining ethical approval, facial and dental midlines were analyzed using a scale. Results: It showed 24 (16%) study subjects showed the coincidence of the facial midline with the maxillary and mandibular dental midlines. It showed that only 26 (16 %) subjects showed the coincidence of facial midline with only maxillary dental midline and 17 (11 %) subjects showed the facial midline coincidence with only mandibular dental midline. The dental midline discrepancy was more prevalent in the maxillary arch and more prevalent on the right side. Midline discrepancy is seen more in males compared to females. The majority of the deviation showed 1 mm, followed by 2 mm, and 3 mm. Conclusions: The coincidence of the facial midline with both the maxillary and mandibular dental midlines is uncommon. Midline discrepancy is seen more in males compared to females. The majority of the subjects show a mild discrepancy of 1 mm. The midline discrepancy was more seen on the right side and in the maxillary arch.